Love is what you make of it
by ValkeryVale
Summary: Benedict Cumberbatch Fic When a couple meets Ben, their tidy world gets turned upside down and Ben figures out what he's been missing. By all rights, it shouldn't work. But it does.


Among the many things that keeps a 16 year old marriage alive - Fantasy and imagination. This story from a conversation with my husband. I've never written a story that included a real person before, and it kinda feels wrong, not sure - so this may be a bumpy story as we go along. It may die a quick death or go on and on for a dozen chapters - a WIP.

* * *

Ben watched the snow pour down.

_Does snow pour? _he asked himself.

No, perhaps not. Snow just falls. But this was a lot of snow, and it seemed to be falling in blankets.

Snow...that's why Ben was trapped in Minnesota. Layover from LA, then a blizzard came in. All flights canceled until tomorrow. Now he was sitting in a hotel bar, watching the snow fall, sipping an IPA.

He flipped through his book as a bit of movement caught his eye. The woman sitting at the nearby table. The only other person in the hotel bar at - Ben glanced at his phone for the time - 11:32pm, on a Sunday. When he came in a few minutes ago, she was sitting, working away at her laptop, with her headphones on. She gave him a quick glance and a smile, but then turned her attention back to her work. At one point, the bartender had called out to her from behind the bar, but her back was to him and she was completely oblivious.

Now she was moving her head to and fro, presumably with the beat of the music. When she would turn slightly, Ben could catch her whole face and see the smile, soft dimple and her mouthing the words of the music. Made him smile to himself.

She was maybe late twenties or early thirties, dressed in old jeans, a tee shirt and a black suit jacket. No wedding ring, so he felt a freedom to let an appreciative gaze fall from the soft bob of black hair, down the lean neck, and then the shapely... just then she pulled her left leg to her body, set her foot on the chair and rested her head on her knee. She reached for a pair of glasses, put them on, and watched the computer screen.

Ben peered at the screen as well, which was showing what looked like a video of a moving engine. He started to become engrossed in the video when his field of vision was suddenly filled with a suit jacket. Ben raised his gaze up to see the back of a man's head, who had also turned to stare over at the woman at the table. She was quite unique looking, with an ethnicity he couldn't place and beautiful in a very understated way. After the man got a good look, he turned his attention to the bartender.

"Um, what's on tap?"

The bartender gestured to the row of beer tap pulls. "The Sam Adams is good, IPA too. If you're looking for a dark, there's a black lager, local beer, called Chimney Sweep."

The man glanced over the regular beer offerings, and then decided, "Sure, I'll try the Chimney Sweep. Is that the name of the brewery?"

The bartender shook his head, "No, the brewery is called August Schell," as he poured the dark liquid into a glass. Ben glanced over his pale beer, with just a bit left and swallowed it down.

"I'll give that a try as well," Ben smiled as he gave a very interested look at the dark beer.

The man turned his attention to Ben. Americans seemed to take notice of English accents, but now they also had a bond in beer Selection. He gave Ben a glance, and seemed to be considering an opening greeting when he looked down at Ben's book, with a distinctive blue spiral on the cover.

"Are you reading 'Man's Place in Nature'?" The man asked in a soft tenor voice.

Ben glanced down at his book and then back at the man, "Umm, oh yes, I am."

The man gestured to the stool just near, "Do you mind?"

"Oh no, please," Ben certainly felt like a bit of company, it had been a lonely day, traveling by himself.

The man settled in as the bartender placed the dark beer into the man's grasp. The man looked Ben over a bit more before asking,

"You a biologist?"

"Oh no, no, just..um..reading it for pleasure," Ben smiled. He was actually reading it for a part, but he never quite knew how to say that without sounding pretentious. He reached for his glass the bartender had set down.

The man finished taking a drink before stating with a bit of sarcasm "Really? A bit of light reading about the origin of species?"

Ben gave a chuckle as he took a sip of his beer. The flavor was ...robust. "Mmm, this is quite good."

The man gave him a look in agreement and he took another drink. He pushed his hand out towards Ben, "I'm Jon."

"Ben," As he shook his hand and gave a slightly larger, toothy smile. Jon smiled back. He had a handsome face, trim sandy brown hair, a bit of a 5 o'clock shadow, fit physique, especially for a man in his late forties, and well dressed. And a nice cologne.

"So, what do you do for work?" Ben asked.

"I am a biologist, a PhD. I work in regulatory sciences, getting medical devices approved with the government."

A PhD..."So, you're a doctor?" Ben said with a shy smile.

"Well, I don't ask people to call me doctor, but I certainly like telling people," Jon said with a chuckle "Has a bit of gravitas."

Jon looked Ben over again and a flicker of recognition emerged.

"This may sound a bit cliché, but have we met before? You look really familiar."

"No, no, I don't think we've met," Ben mumbled and took a big gulp of his beer, choking a bit on it.

"Huh," Jon grunted and took a sip. "So, what do you do, for work?"

"Oh, I'm-I'm an actor," although Ben had thought for a moment, to say he was a salesman or something.

"Really? Theatre or television, I mean, would I have seen anything you've done?"

"Well, I've done a few movies. I just did the new Star Trek...movie," Ben said quietly, with a bit of a question in his voice as if to say, _Perhaps you've seen it._

Jon slowly took in Ben's face. His hair back to his normal ginger color, dressed in casual travel clothes. And then there was a clear spark of recognition.

"Oh, goodness, right. You're Benedict Cumberbatch!" Jon exclaimed with a smile. "You were wonderful in that," as he clapped his hand onto Ben's shoulder. "Well, that's where I've seen you then!"

Ben nodded sheepishly and slid his hands into his lap, closing himself in a bit. It had been good for a minute, to be Ben, another bloke in a bar. The celebrity part of his work was just, confusing. At times, Ben didn't know how to be himself anymore.

"My wife and I love you in Sherlock!" Jon said as he gestured to the woman at the table.

"That's your wife?" Ben asked. She seemed slightly young for him, and they didn't match like some married couples.

"Yeah, that's Char. Would you mind if I called her over? She'd get such a kick out of it."

"Sure," Ben said as he unconsciously straightened his appearance.

Jon turned and called over his shoulder "Char!"

"Um, she's got - " Ben said as he gestured to his ears, "Headphones"

"Oh, right. I'll go grab her," as he stood and walked over to the table. He reached out his hand and placed it on her shoulder, she jumped at the contact. He raised his hands up a bit as she let her heart settle down and pulled the headphones out of her ears.

"Oh - scared me - I didn't see you come in. When did you get here?" She then smiled widely and affectionately as she pulled off her reading glasses and placed them on her head

"Just a few moments ago," Jon said softly, stroking her neck, grinning down at her. "I've uh, got someone you should meet." He gestured over his shoulder.

Char leaned back in her chair, craned her neck around Jon's body and looked over at the bar. Pale young man, auburn hair, slightly hunched over, with his hands tucked between his thighs. His eyes darted about, but then looked right at the both of them and gave a bit of a shy smile and a wave.

"Okay..." Char responded skeptically as she stood and followed her husband over. As they stood in front of Ben, he stood up as well.

"This is my wife Char. Char, this is - "

Char quickly interrupted. "Oh dear, you're Sherlock! I mean, Benedict Cumberbatch!" she exclaimed laughingly as she grasped his hand and shook it.

Ben laughed a bit, and said "Nice to meet you Char."

"Yes, lovely to meet you Benedict."

"Please, call me Ben"

Char shifted her weight awkwardly and Ben gestured to the stool, and they all sat down. Ben breathed in quickly, capturing a bit of Char's spicy perfume.

"I saw you when you walked in, but I didn't recognize you. Must be the lighter hair color." Char seemed to be apologizing for a percieved slight.

Ben just shook his head, "No, no, being recognized is not... an expectation...of mine. Really, I mean... just... you don't have to, you know.." Ben stammered away, not quite sure what he was trying to say. Thankfully the bartender walked over and asked,

"Another Cape Cod Char?"

Char flipped her eyes to the bartender and considered, "Um, yes, thanks Fish"

"She give you that nickname?" Jon asked with a knowing look.

"Yes, a few months ago, and now they all call me Fish, thanks for that Char," the bartender with a laugh said, in way of explanation "My last name is Sturgeon."

Ben watched as Fish the bartender poured out vodka and cranberry juice.

"So that's what a Cape Cod is."

Char turned to Ben and asked, "Why, what do they call vodka and cranberry juice in the UK?"

"Vodka and cranberry juice," Ben said with a straight face, followed by a sly half smile.

Char smiled and nodded her head up and down "Of course" as she reached forward and took a large pull of her drink.

Jon leaned into the bar "So Ben, what brings you to Minnesota...the sunny weather?"

Ben opened his mouth to speak when Char said, "Probably on the same cancelled flight to Heathrow as we were."

"Yes, yes I was." Ben said "You two from Minnesota?"

"No, just a layover...well, I mean Char was here already and then I met her..."

"I was here for work, but we both needed to go to the UK. So he just met me here. It's been snowing all week." She took another drink.

"It's March! I guess I didn't think it snowed here in March." Ben retorted.

"Sometimes it snows until May," Fish commented, "Want desert or anything else Char?"

"Oh no, no food for me, thanks," Char said setting down her drink. "I come up here about once a month. Well, I did anyways." Ben gave her a questioning look, which she answered "I, um, got a promotion."

"Is that why you're going to the UK, for a new job?" Ben said as he took a sip.

"No, actually, I'm the one that got a new job in London," Jon answered. "Same company, just new location. And Char's company is fine with her working from anywhere, really."

"Yeah, we live in Chicago. But we'll move to London. We're going to do a bit of house hunting on this trip," Char said.

"So who do you work for Char?"

"Um, I work for an engine company, I'm an engineer." Char said quietly, and bit reservedly

"And your promotion, will that be the same type of work?" Ben asked interestedly.

Char just nodded her head up and down while Jon gave a snort and a laugh.

"She's trying to be modest. She's just been made CTO, of a 20 billion dollar company," Jon said proudly as Char gave him a stern look. Ben tilted his head to the side, not knowing exactly what CTO meant.

"Oh, um, Chief Technical Officer," Jon answered the unspoken question.

"Right, well, that does sound like something to be proud of, doesn't it?" Ben smiled.

"First woman to have that role in the company" Jon said beaming.

"That-that really doesn't matter," Char stammered emphatically. "I'm qualified, that's all."

"Sounds like a great job, and you seem quite young for it, if you don't mind me saying," Ben said.

"How old do you think she is?" Jon said playfully, clearly a game he's played before.

"That's a loaded question Ben, don't fall for it," Char said as she grasped her glass rim by the tips of her fingers. "Too big of a number and you're saying I'm really old and too low, well...I guess there's not a down side to that, come to think of it." She laughed a bit before answering, "I just turned 39."

Ben made his best surprised face as Char took her reading glasses from her head and waved them, "These are a dead giveaway. I don't mind being 39, I think I'm grateful really. Seems like people take me more seriously the older I get."

"It's the Thai half of you, keeps you looking young," Jon said as he leaned back in his stool, reached out his hand to slide down Char's neck and back.

"I was going to ask, what your ethnic heritage was," Ben said quietly, slightly preoccupied as he watched a wave of goosebumps raise up on the back of Char's neck, and then glanced up catching Jon's eye, who gave him a smirk. Ben looked away.

"And how old are you, young man?" Char asked pleasantly.

"I'll be 37 this July," Ben responded humbly, hoping he looked younger.

"Well, my turn to be surprised. I wouldn't have placed you a day older than 27." Char said laughingly.

"Part of my job, to look... well kept," Ben said sheepishly.

"You're doing a very good job Ben," Jon said. "So, I'm the old man here, at 42. I look each and every one of those years, and probably even more than that. And proud of it. I earned it."

"Yes, you certainly have," Char gave a chuckle and raised her glass to toast, "To getting older and being proud of it."

Ben and Jon raised their glasses as well, clinking the sides together "Cheers,"

Char drank down the rest of her drink, and slid it forward. Fish quickly grabbed it up and started to refill.

"Why do you seem, I dunno, a bit shy about it? I think if I had a job like..." Ben glanced over to Jon

"Chief Technical officer," Jon responded helpfully,

Ben nodded, "Right, Chief technical officer, I'd go around telling everyone. You know, be proud of it," Ben said, as Char seemed to sink further into the bar stool and gazed into her new drink. Jon gave out a laugh.

They both glanced over.

"Like how tried to avoid telling me you're a movie star?" Jon said then drank down the last of his beer, and gestured for another.

"Well, I mean that's a bit different, isn't? I don't ever go around telling people I'm a 'Movie Star'. Saying I'm an actor is difficult enough."

Char flicked her head to the side and bore her stare and smile into him.

"I don't know why, maybe it's a British thing, don't want to come off as too proud or boasting," Ben tried to explain, but really couldn't think of the words. He drank down his beer and signaled for another.

"I understand completely. I think I sound like an arrogant shit, going around saying I'm CTO. If I'm at work, that's fine, but meeting new people, it's just...awkward," Char said.

The bartender slid him his beer and Ben responded, "Ta"

Char smiled a bit, and looked over at Jon through the corner of her eyes "Ta..." Char said wistfully, "Reminds me of Jason."

"Yep," Jon responded, pulling off the top of the slightly too full glass. "A friend of ours, lives in Australia."

"So, headed back home?" Char said quickly.

"Yes, finally. Going back to start filming the next season of Sherlock, starting Tuesday. I hope we'll get out of here tomorrow, hate to be late."

Char nodded her head up and down, and suddenly seemed to get very tense as she glanced to the left and then to the right. And somewhat telepathically, Jon nodded and asked,

"Do you mind if we continue this conversation over at the table? Char, um, doesn't like to sit with her back to the door." Ben glanced behind them, to the door and silently agreed.

Char immediately got up and walked back to the table she had been sitting. She quickly snapped her laptop shut and slide it into the bag on the floor.

Jon and Ben followed, and Jon said quietly, "Thanks, just, um, one of her quirks, so to speak."

"Left over from my CIA days," Char said flatly.

Ben raised his eyebrows in wonder, as Char gave a wave of her hand, "Just kidding. I like to see the door, that's all," she smiled weakly, trying not to convey that there was much more to that story.

Ben slid into the seat, and casually looked at the time on his phone. Char saw the glance, "Really, you don't need to keep talking to us, just to be polite."

"No, not at all, I'm enjoying our conversation."

Char just nodded and swirled her drink in her hand.

"I'm, uh, doing some house hunting in London myself," Ben said.

"Really, where about?" Jon asked.

Ben just shook his head, "Not sure, haven't really decided. Maybe just outside London. You?"

"No, we don't know either. There's an estate agent set to show us about, said something about Chelsea, but Char didn't sound convinced. Thinks it's not our style. We'll see when we get there."

"You've done well for yourself, Ben. Certainly since Sherlock started," Char said, to shift the conversation.

"Oh yes, really fortunate. Sometimes, I just can't believe it," Ben said.

"Is it as fun as it seems?" Jon asked as he leaned in on his elbows.

"I..um...yes, is the short answer. I think it may be harder than most think it is. But it's worth it, really."

"Did you always want to be an actor?" Char asked.

"Well, in my gap year, when I went to Tibet, I thought that I might..."

* * *

As Fish came out from the back, he could hear laughter explode again. His only three customers huddled around the table, engrossed in conversation, and had a fair bit to drink. As it was 1am, he'd have to tell them to move on. He maneuvered out from behind the bar and approached as another roar of laughter,

"No, no that can't be," Char snorted inelegantly, as she laughed. She shifted her feet, which were propped up on Jon's lap.

Jon's shoulders shook as he laughed as well, his arm casually leaned on the back of Ben's chair.

"Absolutely true," Ben chuckled as he told his story, "Not but a few weeks before, I'd said that and then suddenly, it really was Steven Spielberg on my phone. Anyways, the next thing I knew - "

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's 1am. Time for us to close." Fish said apologetically as he hovered nearby.

Char reached out without looking up, placed her hand on the bartender's forearm, and gave it a pat as she said, "And you've got class in the morning."

Fish nodded. Char always remembered everything, anything that he had told her. "Economics?" she asked. Fish nodded again.

"Alright then, gentlemen, it's time we let this young man shuffle off this mortal coil of work and onto bed." Char smiled slightly as she stood, regretting she wouldn't hear the end of the story. Fish walked away.

Ben and Jon stood as well, and glanced back and forth. "Yes, well, it's been great talking with you, really. Maybe we could hear the end of that story some other time?" Jon said a bit cautiously, hated to end the evening like this.

"I've got, I mean, I'm in the suite here, with a bar and a sitting room. We could just keep talking?"

A slight awkward silence filled around them, then Char called out, "Fish? Could we get a couple bottles of wine to go?"


End file.
